


A Phantom's Halloween

by Alshoruzen



Series: Lure [9]
Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, Established Relationship, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Humor, M/M, Possessive Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid, Post-Conan Kudou Shinichi, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Romance, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:47:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27652940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alshoruzen/pseuds/Alshoruzen
Summary: Halloween is one of Kaito’s favorite holidays for a variety of reasons. This year, however, he is hoping that it will provide him and Shinichi with the chance they’ve been waiting for to officially ‘meet’ as civilians. But even if that doesn’t happen, he fully intends to make this a Halloween people will remember. KaiShin
Relationships: Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Series: Lure [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/585820
Comments: 10
Kudos: 233





	1. Pumpkins and Top Hats

**Author's Note:**

> "Lure" is posted as a single story on FF.Net. This installment is chapters 28 to 32 there. If you'd prefer to read this series as a single story, you can do so here: [Lure](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10299243/1/Lure)

Shinichi was not particularly surprised when he returned home after class one day as October was nearing its end to find the living room filled with pumpkins. What did surprise him were the three dozen white top hats with pumpkin orange ribbons wrapped around them. He picked one up and turned it over in his hands. It looked and felt ordinary enough, but he had his suspicions.

"If you like that hat, you can keep it," a voice said from directly behind him.

Not having heard any footsteps, Shinichi jumped and spun around. "Stop sneaking up on me!" Then he noticed that Kaito was dressed in an outfit that looked an awful lot like his KID suit sans cape and monocle except that the dress shirt was black and the tie and hat ribbon were orange. "And why are you all dressed up?"

"It's what I'll be wearing for my Halloween show. I'm hiring some temporary assistants for some minor parts in this one. The auditions are later today."

Grinning, Kaito gave him a peck on the nose and took the hat from his lax grip. Instead of returning it to the stacks, he placed it on Shinichi's head and adjusted it to a jaunty angle. "Perfect. Now for the finishing touch."

He snapped his fingers.

There was a plume of orange smoke. Shinichi automatically held his breath as he tried to wave the smoke away. He had been dressed up so many times at KID heists that he was more exasperated than alarmed when he thought he felt hands ghosting over his person. That didn't mean he didn't feel a certain level of trepidation as the smoke cleared. Kaito had taken a step back for a better view and was now looking him up and down with an approving leer that set off all kinds of alarms in Shinichi's head.

Mentally bracing himself, he looked down and instantly blushed bright red. The sleeveless, white and orange dress with its orange bow were technically quite stylish, but the skirt was so short that it barely covered what it was supposed to cover. And how had Kaito gotten the elbow-length gloves and heels onto him? On second thought, he didn't want to know.

"You should come to the audition," Kaito said. "I guarantee you'd get picked~."

Shinichi crossed his arms and glared. The effect was rather ruined by his persisting blush. Altogether, he looked rather more cute than anything else—a fact that Kaito's growing arousal was more than happy to attest to. His Shin-chan really had the loveliest legs—all long and supple (perfect for holding a lover close, he thought, smirking).

"You better not tell me this is what you're making your assistants wear for the show," Shinichi said, still glaring.

"Don't worry. They'll be wearing the family friendly version," Kaito assured him. "My audiences do tend to contain a lot of families with small children after all."

Shinichi's eyebrow twitched. "So what version would this be then?"

Smirk broadening, Kaito stepped closer and brought his hands to rest lightly on Shinichi's hips. "This is the bedroom friendly version made exclusively for you. You should be flattered."

"Well I'm not," Shinichi huffed, blush darkening.

"That blush says otherwise~."

Shinichi pretended he hadn't heard that comment. "What is it with you and dressing me up anyway?"

"I just like helping you show off how adorable and sexy you are," Kaito replied cheerfully. He pulled Shinichi close and leaned in to whisper into his ear. "Don't you like dressing up for me?"

Shinichi spluttered, still blushing furiously. His splutters turned into a squeak when Kaito's hands found their way under his too short skirt and groped him through the very sheer, silk undergarments that he most certainly had not been wearing before his forced costume change. He started, lost his balance, and ended up clinging to Kaito to keep from falling. Pressed up against the magician like this (with said magician's skilled hands still happily massaging his behind), he couldn't help but notice the very prominent bulge in Kaito's pants. The observation did not help him get his blush under control.

"Let me go, you fiend," he demanded, trying and failing to wiggle out of the magician's grasp. "And give me back my clothes. I'm supposed to be meeting Satou and Takagi-keiji in fifteen minutes."

Kaito's expression grew serious. "Another case?"

"They told me that a man was killed in the backroom of a candy store. I don't know the details yet."

"I see." Sighing, Kaito placed a chaste kiss on Shinichi's cheek then let him go. "I won't keep you from catching a killer." He snapped his fingers. There was another plume of orange smoke, and Shinichi was back in his ordinary clothes. "Well, I might as well get going too. Would you like me to pick up dinner on my way back?"

"I guess that would be good. I'm not sure when I'll be back though. If it's a difficult case, it may take some time."

"I'll make sure to get something that reheats well."

Touched by his magician's thoughtfulness, Shinichi leaned up to press a quick kiss on Kaito's lips. "Thank you. I know a good bakery near the candy store I'll be at. I'll see if I can get us something for dessert."

"If you can't, you could always wear the dress for me~."

Shinichi's blush returned with a vengeance, and he marched quickly past Kaito. "I'm leaving now! Remember to lock the door—or window or whatever you leave by—on your way out. And do something about those pumpkins," he added, poking his head back into the living room. "I don't mind if you want to keep them here until you need them or whatever, but I'd appreciate it if you would put them somewhere where they're not in the way."

Then he had his shoes on and was out the door.

-0-

The candy store murder turned out to be unexpectedly complex. With Shinichi busy with the case and Kaito occupied with rehearsals (minor parts or not, training and coordinating two dozen excited amateur assistants was hard, time consuming work), the couple barely saw one another for the next several days.

The time and effort were worth it though, Kaito thought as the most recent rehearsal let out. There would only be one more rehearsal before the actual show, but he was confident that everything would play out exactly as he'd planned even if they held the show today, so he wasn't concerned. He grinned to himself as he headed for his dressing room. It was going to be spectacular! He just wished Shinichi could be there to watch, but alas that would have to wait for that proper introduction. On the bright side, the forces they'd set in motion when they'd arranged for Ran and Aoko to meet were still very much actively at work, so the plan was still on track.

The only hitch was that Aoko was still not so subtly trying to set him up with Ran. It was a step up from those awful days when she thought he should date Akako, but still… He didn't entirely understand why she seemed so urgent about finding him a girlfriend.

Speaking of Aoko, he spotted her familiar figure standing next to the dressing room door as he approached. "Hey there," he said by way of greeting. "If you wanted to be part of the show, you're a few days too late."

"Like I'd ever want that," she sniffed. "Besides, I already have plans for Halloween."

"The university party?" Kaito asked.

"Actually, I'm going to the masquerade ball that the Suzuki family is throwing. Ran-san's friend invited me. And she said I could bring friends. Saguru's already agreed to go with me. Anyway, I know you have this show, but the party should run pretty late, so I thought I'd give you the invitation anyway just in case you can make it."

Kaito perked up. This could be just the opportunity he and Shinichi had been waiting for. Suzuki Sonoko was one of Shinichi and Mouri Ran's friends, and she would no doubt invite the detective. With Aoko bent on encouraging him and Ran to spend more time together, an introduction was almost guaranteed.

"A masquerade ball? That does sound fun. Where's it being held?"

"I'm not really sure," Aoko admitted. She handed Kaito an envelope. "The address should be on the invite."

Kaito opened the envelope and slid the card out. The picture on the front was a very dramatic picture of a moonlit castle looming over a graveyard where a ghostly prince and princess stood with their hands clasped. Flipping the card over, Kaito skimmed over the details until he found the address.

He almost cursed out loud, but he caught himself in time and did it silently instead. Sonoko's Halloween ball was being held in one of the Suzuki family's newest hotels all the way across the city from the plaza where his show was to be held. The only way he could possibly get from the show to the party before it was over was if he flew.

"Looks like I'll have to pass," he said with honest regret. "It's too far from the performance venue."

"Oh." Aoko looked just as disappointed as he felt. "That's too bad."

You have no idea, Kaito thought, but outwardly he just shrugged. "There'll be other parties. But I do expect pictures," he added with a grin. "Could be good reference material for the future."

"I'll take lots of photos," Aoko promised.

-0-

In another part of the city, Shinichi was sitting in a coffee shop (the same coffee shop in which he had begun taking refuge ever since that wedding dress incident) with Ran, who had spent the last half hour trying to convince him to attend Sonoko's party. If he'd known that this was what she wanted to do when she'd asked if he wanted to have lunch together, he would have refused.

"If I go, they'll probably never find my body," he said in response to her latest press.

Ran rolled her eyes. "Honestly Shinichi, she's not upset about KID kissing you anymore. Really," she added at Shinichi's disbelieving look. "She told me so after the, uh…" Ran blushed faintly as she searched for the right words. "After that declaration he made. I wouldn't say she's happy about it, but she does seem to have come to terms with the idea that KID actually likes you. I think she might even be starting to see the romantic side of it."

Shinichi suffered a whole-body shudder of horror at what that particular tidbit of news might mean for his future. "I wouldn't say that's comforting."

Ran had to laugh a little at that. "I'm just saying she's not actually mad at you anymore, and she's definitely not going to murder you or try to use you to bait a trap for Kaitou KID or whatever. And she's making an effort to mend fences. You should do the same." The girl's expression grew somber as she leveled him with that stern, big sister stare that she had perfected during his years as Conan. "She is your friend, you know. Real friends aren't something you should ever throw away if you have a choice. And you do have a choice."

Feeling abruptly self conscious, Shinichi looked down. He strongly suspected that Sonoko had gotten a lecture much like the one he had just received. And, well, he knew Ran was right. Resigned but knowing already that he had surrendered, he sighed and acquiesced.

"I'll go then. But don't blame me if a case crops up."

Ran beamed. "Good. I'll let Sonoko know you'll be there. We'll need to get you a costume. Do you have time on Friday?"

"Uh—"

"Meet us at the west entrance of the mall near your place at three."

Shinichi opened his mouth to protest then thought better of it. Instead, he asked, "Us?"

"Aoko told me she'd be going to the ball too. Since we kind of look alike, we thought it might be fun to go in matching costumes, so we're going costume shopping together."

"Ah." Shinichi had to fight hard to keep his expression neutral as his heart rate picked up. If Aoko was going to the ball then she might invite Kaito. And if she invited Kaito then this could be the chance they'd been waiting for.

He caught himself wondering what he should wear to the ball, and Kaito's words from a few days ago echoed in his head.

"Don't you like dressing up for me?"

Shinichi hid his face behind his mug. He was still of the opinion that being forced into weird and suggestive outfits was all kinds of embarrassing, especially when it happened at KID heists in front of an audience, but he might privately admit to himself that he kind of sort of liked the way it made Kaito look at him. So maybe he didn't really mind getting dressed up, but only if it was in private (for Kaito). He blushed at his own thoughts.

But obviously none of that had anything to do with the upcoming masquerade ball, which was going to be very public. Still, he found himself wanting to find a costume that the magician would like.


	2. Costume Shopping

Friday afternoon found Shinichi making his reluctant way towards the mall where he was to be meeting Ran and Aoko. He wondered if he would see Kaito there, and he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted the answer to that to be a yes or a no. On the one hand, he really did want to be able to spend time with Kaito in their civilian lives, but on the other, letting Kaito help choose his Halloween costume was basically asking for trouble.

But no, as Shinichi approached, he saw only the two girls at the doors. They waved him over and introductions were made all around again just in case any of them had forgotten who any of the others were in the few days in which they had not seen each other. Then the girls were dragging him into the shops like hunters heading into the wilderness, armed and ready for their quarry.

Frankly, the intensity the two women were giving off was scaring Shinichi. They were awfully determined to find those perfect costumes. He just hoped they left him out of it.

They browsed through several shops with racks upon racks of the typical costumes from witches and princesses to cats and werewolves. They were all too ordinary, Aoko and Ran agreed. They wanted something with a little more flare.

By the time they emerged empty handed from the fourth store, Shinichi was ready to just buy the next costume they saw that was his size so that he could leave. He made the mistake of saying so to Ran. The next costume she brandished at him involved bunny ears and a fluffy tail.

"It's your size," she threatened.

He decided to keep his mouth shut after that.

The real problem was when they saw the rack of child-sized Kaitou KID suits. Aoko had gaped at them then immediately flown into a towering rage.

"They're promoting theft!" she'd roared. "How could they?! And with little children too! Have they no shame? They're teaching the next generation that it's okay to be insane criminals that steal things and ruin people's lives! It's irresponsible and just, just, argh! It's an affront to justice! To society! Where's the manager?!"

Aoko whirled around, eyes blazing, fully intent on hunting down the store manager and demanding that the offending costumes be removed at once.

"Wait! Aoko." Ran caught the other girl's arm and held her back. "I think you're overreacting."

"How can you say that?" the inspector's daughter demanded, rounding on her. "You can't possibly think it's all right for them to be promoting that—that fiend!"

"No, no, of course not," Ran said hastily. "But Halloween costumes are just Halloween costumes, you know? They don't really mean anything. It's all just for fun. It doesn't actually mean anything. It's like if someone dressed up as Blue Beard or something. Having a costume like that doesn't mean you're promoting killing people. It's just more fun to pretend to be something that people would recognize."

"It's still not right," Aoko grumbled, but she seemed to have calmed down, if only a little. "It's different when it's a real, currently existing person—let alone a criminal." But she allowed Ran to gently steer her away from the mini Kaitou KID costumes and to a less controversial collection of outfits.

Shinichi found the answer to his problems in the form of a wizard costume. It consisted of a set of plain, dark blue robes that came with a wide sash stitched with an intricate pattern of silver runes. It came with a pointy hat that also had a thin band of silver runes around it that was slightly too large for him, but otherwise acceptable. The costume wasn't nearly as gaudy as the many others he had seen, and the material it was made of was actually comfortable to the touch. But best of all, the costume came with a black book cover that he could slip over one of the novels he bought last weekend. That meant he'd be able to bring a good book to read and have it disguised to look like part of his costume so that Sonoko wouldn't jump on his back for daring to imply her party would be boring by bringing a book.

Ran looked over his choice in costume with a knowing gleam in her eyes that told him she knew exactly why he had picked it. "I guess it'll do, but you realize that this is a masquerade. That means everyone is going to be masked. Your costume doesn't have a mask."

"But it has a large hat," he argued, putting said hat on his head. It immediately slid down over his eyes. Frowning, he adjusted the brim, tilting it so that he could actually see. "I don't think I could wear this hat and a mask at the same time. It would look weird, and it would be impractical."

Ran hid a smile. Shinichi probably had no idea how adorable he looked in that too-big hat. It reminded her of his Conan days. "Well, you might have a point. But don't be surprised if Sonoko comes after you about it."

"I'm sure she'll find something to come after me about regardless," Shinichi said dryly. "How about you two? Have you picked your costumes yet?"

Ran smiled as her face lit up with excitement. "We think we might have, but we're going to go try them on to be sure. Come and give us an opinion, all right?"

Shinichi trailed after the girls to the dressing rooms, where he took a seat on one of the sofas to wait. There was a small television on the wall there. It was playing the news, though the sound was muted. Shinichi was startled to see it introducing Kaito's Halloween show. The reporter appeared to be interviewing one of the temporary assistants—a very pretty young woman with delicate features and a brilliant smile. She was wearing her costume for the show, which Shinichi was glad to see was indeed much more appropriate for public viewing.

A sudden wave of melancholy caught Shinichi by surprise. He had to wonder when he would be able to actually attend one of Kaito's shows without having to worry about anything. To be able to just go somewhere together in the open under the daylight without having to wear disguises and monitor their friends and acquaintances' whereabouts.

They had set their plans in motion, and those plans appeared to be unfolding just the way they'd hoped. Ran and Aoko were becoming fast friends, and it would only be a matter of time before the girls' friendship led to a proper introduction between Kuroba Kaito and Kudo Shinichi. But even if they played their cards right to make the meeting as natural and unsuspicious as possible, Shinichi wasn't sure if people like Hakuba would ever stop scrutinizing them in the hopes of finding evidence that Kaito was KID (and, at the rate things were going, that Shinichi was KID's accomplice). Would they ever be allowed to have a normal relationship?

On the other hand, neither of them were normal people. Well, actually Shinichi considered himself to be fairly normal (it was everyone else who made no sense), but he'd always been told that he was weird. After all, he was a detective who could solve insanely complex cases but couldn't name which bands were popular. He had learned to cope with being a magnet for homicidal maniacs, solved hundreds of cases before graduating high school and lived through two separate childhoods. Okay, so maybe he wasn't particularly normal. But he wouldn't be the person he was if he hadn't been and done all those things. And Kaito wouldn't be the Kaito that Shinichi loved if he wasn't a crazy genius of a magician thief with all his love of chaos, his confidence and his penchant for defying logic and reality alike.

So maybe their relationship could never be normal. It didn't matter because normal just wasn't who they were.

"So what do you think?"

Shinichi looked around at the sound of Ran's voice and blinked. For a moment, he thought he was seeing double except that the doubles had come in different shades.

Both Ran and Aoko were dressed in elegant, layered fantasy-style gowns with a butterfly motif. Large, gossamer butterfly wings fanned out behind their backs, and their faces were hidden by ornate, butterfly masks. Ran's costume came in shades of red and gold while Aoko's mirrored hers in blue and silver. The only reason Shinichi could tell them apart was that Aoko's hair was distinctly messier.

"So?" Aoko asked, holding her arms out to either side. "What do you think?"

"They certainly look like a pair," he said. "The wings are kind of large though. Won't they be inconvenient?"

Ran laughed. "It'll be fine. Besides, I like the wings. The patterns are beautiful."

Aoko clapped her hands together. "It's decided then. Let's go change back."

As the girls were turning to return to the dressing rooms, Ran noticed the interview on the television and paused. "Oh hey, that's Kuroba-kun's show they're talking about, right?"

Aoko followed her gaze then nodded. "Yeah. It's why he's not coming to the masquerade."

"The party runs pretty late though," Ran pointed out. "When does his show end?"

"It's not when it ends that's the problem," Aoko explained. "It's the location. It's all the way on the other side of the city."

Ran nodded in understanding. "That's too bad. Sonoko really wanted to introduce him to some of her other friends. They're all huge fans."

Aoko snorted. "People really need to stop feeding his ego. If that idiot's head swells up any bigger, he's going to need to buy a whole new set of hats."

Ran only laughed. She knew that Aoko was truly thrilled by her friend's success at this profession he loved, but the girl seemed to have a hard time just saying so. It was puzzling but also kind of cute in its own way. Friendships really did come in many forms.

Since everyone had chosen their costumes, the three of them headed for the checkout lines.

That night, Shinichi sat curled up in the large armchair in his library with a steaming mug of coffee and his phone cradled against his ear, listening with a soft smile as Kaito described the many wonders he would be wowing his audience with on the following night. He spoke with such passion and delight that it filled Shinichi's chest with warmth. He could see Kaito's beaming smile in his mind's eye. He could picture every magic trick and hear the gasps of the audience and the applause as they stood and called for encores. Letting Kaito's voice wash over him, he sank into a contented haze, picturing dazzling stage lights and Kaito standing there above it all, the great conductor of a fantastic realm of magic and mystery.

"I wish you could see it," Kaito concluded.

"Me too," Shinichi murmured. He thought he could hear Kaito's smile on the other end of the line.

And he knew with a sudden clarity that it didn't really matter if he couldn't watch this show. There would be others. What mattered to him, the only thing that mattered, was to be able to hear his magician sound so absolutely thrilled with his work. To hear the love Kaito had for his magic and for his father's teachings filled Shinichi with a sense of peace that was all the more powerful because it was a happiness he could share with the man he loved.

"I heard you went costume shopping with Aoko and Ran-san today."

"I did. Nakamori-san had a fit when she saw they were selling Kaitou KID costumes for children."

Kaito chuckled. "I imagine so. You know, I should charge for those. It's a Kuroba family design after all. It's a copyright issue."

Shinichi snorted. "You may have a point. Of course, you'd have to be willing to go to court."

"I have other ways. But I'm feeling magnanimous."

"Aoko would like to remind you not to let the fame go to your head."

"I shall endeavor not to disappoint her. So did you find a good costume? Or do you need my help?"

Shinichi blushed. "No, I found one. Just something simple."

"Too bad. I had some excellent ideas."

"Well mine comes with a book."

Kaito laughed. "Why am I not surprised? That's good though."

Shinichi blinked. "How so?"

"I was afraid you'd have a terrible time without me there to keep you company. But this way, at least you'll have something to do."

The detective rolled his eyes, hiding his smile in his mug even though there was no one to see. "I was kind of hoping this would be it," he confessed.

There was a quiet sigh on the other end of the line. "Me too. But hey, we're getting there. Suzuki-chan's been sounding me out about some potential shows around the end of the year."

"As have a lot of other people, if I recall."

The magician hummed. "What can I say? No time of the year calls for magic the way the holiday season does. But I haven't committed to anything yet. I'll make the Suzukis my top priority if you make sure you can be there."

"I'll try. Provided I survive Sonoko tomorrow."

"I'm sure Ran-san will protect you."

"She'll try," Shinichi muttered darkly. "She may not succeed."

A chuckle. "I have complete faith in her abilities."


	3. Hurricane Sonoko

Halloween day dawned cool and gray. The overcast sky did not bode well for the weather, but the clouds cleared by midday, leaving behind a moderate temperature and a refreshing if slightly chilly breeze.

Shinichi spent a surprisingly pleasant morning helping Ai bake pumpkin cookies for the Halloween party that she and the Shounen Tantei would be attending later in the evening. There was something rather amusing about seeing Haibara Ai of all people carefully molding small balls of dough into rough pumpkin shapes, but Shinichi knew better than to let her see him smiling about it. The sight was one he would treasure though, he mused, because it was yet another reminder of just how far the two of them had come. That they could be here now, worrying only about whether their cookies would actually look like pumpkins or not, was almost a miracle.

"I guess it's a big party?" Shinichi asked when Ai began mixing up a second batch of dough the moment they put the first batch of cookies into the oven.

"Fifty students and their chaperons," the little scientist replied. "Can you start mixing the icing? The recipe's on the next page." She nodded towards the binder on the counter where the pumpkin recipe they had been using sat in a clear, plastic sleeve.

Shinichi rinsed his hands off then went to turn the page. There was a simple recipe for frosting in the next sleeve. He skimmed down the ingredients list then moved to fetch them from their respective locations around the kitchen.

"You can probably come if you want to," Ai added as she lay another neatly shaped piece of dough on the next tray. "They can always use more help. I'm sure the kids would find it exciting, having a famous detective at the party."

"Maybe another time," Shinichi replied. "Unfortunately, I have already agreed to go to the Suzuki family's masquerade ball."

Ai smirked. "If you're feeling suicidal, there are people you can talk to."

Shinichi scowled. "That's not funny, and Ran's making me go. Something about mending fences."

"I see. Well, good luck then."

Not sure if she was teasing him or not, Shinichi made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat and picked up the box of food coloring. "What color did you want the frosting to be?"

With more than a hundred cookies cooling all over the kitchen counters and tables, Shinichi took his costume into the bathroom to change. When he emerged, he found Ai wearing a black dress and a witch's hat and standing over the bookies as a disappointed Professor Agasa retreated into the other room.

She looked Shinichi up and down then blinked. "A book?"

"It came with the costume."

Her lips twitched. "Of course it did."

They spent the rest of the time they had left packing their pumpkin cookies into boxes. Then the doorbell rang.

Ai glanced outside to see Ran waiting on Agasa's front step. "Your chaperon's here."

Shinichi rolled his eyes but went to open the door for the brunette.

"Oh good, you're already dressed," she said. "Let's go then."

Soon, Shinichi was climbing into the backseat of Mouri Kogoro's rental car, feeling like there was a lead weight inside his stomach. He was about to face one of the greatest challenges of his entire life: Suzuki Sonoko.

He would almost rather face the Black Organization all over again.

-0-

Pulling up inside the brand new hotel's enormous parking lot, the two Mouris and Shinichi found themselves only three among quite a stream of colorful and bizarre guests. The crowd of guests swept them out of the parking garage and through a pair of double doors into an elegant lobby festooned with orange and black streamers and decorated with everything from jack-o-lanterns to false spider webs and a fake skeleton leaning against the receptionist's counter. From there, they were directed down a similarly decorated hall and into a sparkling ballroom that looked like a marriage between Halloween and fairytales. There was already a band playing on a raised stage at one end of the ballroom and several long banquet tables laden down with Halloween-themed dishes and drinks.

Ran spotted Aoko across the room and waved. The other girl waved back and began making her way towards them with Hakuba right behind her. The blonde was dressed, to no one's surprise, in his favorite Sherlock Holmes outfit, though Aoko had apparently convinced him to add a simple eye mask. Before the two could reach them though, Sonoko arrived.

She descended on their little group like a hurricane dressed in a sparkling purple dress with little bat wings attached to her back and an elaborately beaded and feathered mask.

"You!" she exclaimed, leveling an accusing finger at Shinichi. He flinched and fought an almost overpowering desire to duck behind Ran. "I demand an apology right now!"

Shinichi gaped at her, completely flummoxed. "Uh, what?"

"Apologize now or I'll never forgive you!"

"I—I'm sorry…?" he stammered, trying to ignore the people around them who were beginning to stare. "What exactly am I apologizing for?"

Sonoko scowled as she planted her hands on her hips. "For seducing my KID-sama, of course. You were supposed to get him to notice me! But then you go and let him kiss you."

Shinichi really, really wished that Sonoko would lower her voice. Failing that, maybe the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

"It's not like I asked him to," he tried to protest, but Sonoko steamrolled right over him. People were beginning to whisper.

And giggle. Can't forget the giggling.

"Well, luckily for you, I'm a generous and forgiving person," Sonoko continued. Shinichi nearly said something sarcastic, but he caught himself in time. "So I decided that I would forgive you if you apologized."

She stopped and gave him a significant look. He was surprised her foot wasn't tapping.

Shinichi took a moment to marshal his thoughts before speaking. "I'm sorry that what happened between me and KID upset you."

Sonoko blinked. "Really?"

"Yes," he said with all honesty. He had no regrets about his relationship with Kaito, but he was certainly sorry that Sonoko had taken such offense to it.

Apparently mollified, Sonoko relaxed. "Good." Then she performed one of her abrupt one eighties and leaned forward. "So is KID a good kisser? What happened that night you disappeared with him anyway? Come on, spill. I want all the details."

Shinichi wondered if it was too late to retract his apology. He was already beginning to think that he had been better off when Sonoko was mad at him.

-0-

When Shinichi finally escaped Sonoko's clutches (a terrible twenty minutes of hemming and hawing and hastily scrounged up diversions), he procured himself a small plateful of fried shrimp, mashed sweet potatoes, and pasta and a large mug of coffee (one good thing about a party organized by Sonoko was that the coffee was actually very good coffee, something that could not be said for most other big parties). Then he found himself a small alcove with a plushy bench behind a larger-than-life scarecrow decoration to hide in. He finished his food and reached out from behind the scarecrow to drop his empty plate in a trash bin. Then he settled himself more comfortably on the cushy bench, leaned back against the alcove wall, took a sip of his coffee, and opened his book. He congratulated himself again on his foresight in bringing said book and smiled.

He spent a blissful hour or so reading as, beyond the scarecrow, colorful costumes whirled across the dance floor and the band played song after song.

He would have gone right on reading if a new voice hadn't broken into his thoughts.

"You're Kudo Shinichi, right?"

Looking up from his book, Shinichi found a stranger wearing an owl mask hovering by his seat. The stranger was wrapped from head to toe in a heavy, feathery cape thing, so all Shinichi could tell about him was that he was very tall, though his voice suggested that he was young, most likely in his twenties. The fact that he couldn't really see the man made Shinichi wary, but he nodded politely.

"I am. And you are?"

"Arata Mashiro. I'm a big fan of your father's books." He offered his hand to Shinichi. "I've been following your work as well. It's a real pleasure to finally get to meet you."

Shinichi blinked in surprise as he shook the preferred hand. "Aren't you the author Okubi Shigure? The one who's writing the new ghost detective series that was released last year?"

The man let out a startled laugh. "Yeah. I'm surprised you knew that. I didn't think you'd be interested in supernatural mysteries, to be honest."

Shinichi shrugged. "A good mystery is a good mystery whatever the genre."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Would you mind if I sit?"

"Go ahead." Shinichi picked up his coffee cup so that the author could sit on the other end of the bench.

Arata took the offered seat and let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I like this costume and all—always loved owls, but this cape is stifling. And it weighs twelve and a half pounds." He stretched his feet out, and Shinichi noticed that his boots had fake bird talons attached to them. The man certainly had been thorough with his costume. Kaito would approve.

As though even thoughts of Kaito drew Sonoko's attention, he heard her voice on the other side of the scarecrow. Over the music and general chatter, he couldn't tell what she was saying, but it still made him tense and shift to make sure that he was fully hidden from casual view.

He couldn't see Arata's expression behind his owl mask, but he could imagine the raised eyebrows. "Still having trouble with Suzuki-san?"

Shinichi winced. "I guess you heard her earlier."

"I'm not sure there's anyone here who didn't," he said candidly.

Shinichi groaned and let his head fall back against the wall. "I knew I shouldn't have come tonight."

"It's not that bad," the author hastened to assure him. "I mean, after that photo…" He trailed off, apparently realizing that mentioning that everyone in Japan (maybe the world) had already seen that photo of KID kissing him probably wouldn't make Shinichi feel better. "I'm glad you came," he said instead. "If you hadn't, I wouldn't have gotten to meet you."

"Guess that's one good thing at least," Shinichi muttered under his breath before straightening. "I should've worn a mask like everyone else. Maybe then people wouldn't have recognized me."

Arata laughed. "I'm not sure that would've worked, but you can keep it in mind for next time."

Shinichi was of the opinion that there would not be a next time until everyone forgot about that photo. Which, of course, probably meant there would never be a next time period. But he kept that thought to himself.

"Um, while we're on the subject…" Arata said hesitantly. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but, um, I did wonder… I mean, you and Kaitou KID, are you really…?"

Shinichi blushed. "Not you too. Honestly, it's not like I asked KID to kiss me."

Arata held up his hands placating. "Sorry, sorry. It's just—an author's curiosity. I won't mention it again. Promise."

Shinichi just sighed, taking another long sip of his coffee. The cup was beginning to run low. "It's all right. Heaven knows I can't fault anyone for being curious."

"There just hasn't been much of interest on the news lately," Arata said. "It'll pass. Um, so does that mean you're not seeing anyone?"

"Not really," Shinichi said vaguely. After all, he wasn't seeing anyone officially. But he really didn't want to keep talking about his love life. "So the next book in your series should be coming out next month, right?"

-0-

Taking one last bow to the uproarious cheers of his audience, Kaito made his exit in a fantastic plume of blue flames that had the crowds going wild all over again.

Back in his dressing room, he allowed himself a satisfied smirk. Everything had gone off exactly how he'd planned, and the show had been one of his best yet, if he did say so himself.

He glanced at the clock. He'd never make it across the city the normal way, but, if he flew, he could make it to the Suzuki Halloween party before it ended. He grinned. He could go surprise Shinichi.

Decision made, he packed up everything he needed to pack, double-checked the arrangements for his larger props, met with and thanked his temporary assistants, chatted a bit more with the organizers who had hired him (their starry-eyed awe and comments told him that he would certainly be getting more jobs from them), and finally got out and up a tall building which may or may not have been open to the public. Then he was soaring over the city on one of his black reconnaissance gliders.

He touched down on the Suzuki hotel roof sooner than he'd expected since the wind had been good for his entire trip. Deactivating his glider, he made a few adjustments to his costume then made his way inside. What a happy coincidence it was that he had already memorized the blueprints for this hotel.


	4. Stolen

Someone was watching him. He had been too deep in his conversation with Arata to be sure when the watcher had begun his or her observations, but the feeling was growing more intense by the moment, and it was making Shinichi uneasy. It didn't feel like a malicious gaze exactly, but the fact that he couldn't figure out where it was coming from was extremely unnerving.

"What's wrong?" Arata asked when Shinichi craned his neck around for the sixth time to peer under the scarecrow's outstretched arms at the masked men and women twirling past out on the dance floor.

"It's nothing," Shinichi said hastily and hoped he was telling the truth. It was probably just another of Sonoko's curious guests. But whoever they were, they knew how to stay out of sight. And considering the crowds had been thinning for some time now, that was no easy feat.

His uneasiness grew, and he found himself scanning the ballroom for Ran and the others. He spotted Kogoro first. The older detective was talking animatedly with several other guests, a half full glass of wine in one hand. He was clearly drunk, but that was nothing new. Ran, Aoko, and Hakuba were in another corner where there were several toadstool chairs and tables for people who were taking a break from dancing. They too were speaking with other guests. Sonoko joined them just as Shinichi spotted them, dropping onto a chair next to Ran and waving one of the waiters over with a glass of some orange colored beverage topped with white cream and a black umbrella.

Everything appeared to be normal.

"Kudo-san?"

Starting guiltily, Shinichi turned back to his new friend. "Sorry. I think I'm a little tired. I should probably be heading home."

"It is getting pretty late," the author agreed. "I should probably be going too. You came with Mouri Kogoro, right?"

"I did."

"Would you like a ride home? The Mouris seem like they may still be here for a while." Arata nodded to where Ran was still deep in animated conversation with Sonoko, Aoko, and the others.

Shinichi smiled. "Thank you for the offer, but I should wait for them in case they need me to drive."

"Ah, that's true. Well, I guess I'll be taking my leave first then." Arata rose from the bench but didn't leave. Instead, he shifted his weight to his other foot. "It really was an honor to get to talk with you tonight."

"I enjoyed talking to you too," Shinichi said honestly. "Good luck with your writing."

"Thanks. Though, speaking of writing, there are some scenarios I've been considering that it would be nice to get a real detective's opinion on. I understand if you don't have time, but, well, I was just wondering if you would mind if I called you sometime to discuss them…"

Shinichi blinked, surprised, but he saw no reason to refuse.

That prickling sensation of being watched followed Shinichi as he bid Arata farewell then went to speak with Ran. He had to fight not to keep turning around to look for the source lest he look like a crazy person. He didn't need any more attention after the spectacle Sonoko had made out of his arrival. He was more sure now than ever that the source of the gaze was not just a curious passerby. But what the source wanted was still a mystery—one that he needed to solve in a hurry if he wanted to have any peace. But he had to make sure that the others didn't get caught in the crossfire. Not that he was expecting anything dangerous. It was just better to be careful, especially considering his track record.

He arrived by Ran's group just as Hakuba escorted Aoko onto the dance floor. The band had switched to slower songs with the festivities winding down, and almost all the guests still on the dance floor were couples holding each other close. Sonoko kept sneaking envious glances at those happy couples before muttering darkly to herself about wayward boyfriends who were far too obsessed with proving themselves. But every time she was done muttering, she would touch the charm bracelet dangling around her wrist. Shinichi didn't have to ask to be able to guess who that bracelet had been a gift from.

"Oh hey Shinichi," Ran said, spotting him. "Do you want to join us?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you would mind if I went to wait for you guys on the car," he said. "I think I need to close my eyes for a few minutes."

Ran looked concerned. "If you're tired, we can just go home. I'll go get Dad."

"You don't have to leave on his account," Sonoko butted in, frowning. "Your dad's in no shape to drive anyway. Why don't you guys just stay the night? I'll have the front desk get you two rooms."

"We can't impose on you like that," Ran protested, embarrassed, but her friend waved her away.

"You won't be imposing. I'm staying here tonight too. I thought we could watch some scary movies." She smirked when Ran went pale. "Nothing too scary, obviously. Come on," she cajoled when the brunette continued to hesitate. "It's been ages since we've been able to just hang out and have a sleepover. We can invite Aoko too. Make it a girls' night. It'll be fun."

Ran wavered. "Shinichi? Would that be all right with you?"

He shrugged. "I don't mind."

"Well, all right then."

Sonoko beamed. "Wait here a moment." She hopped to her feet and bustled off. She was back a mere five minutes later with a handful of hotel keycards.

"Here." She shoved one into Shinichi's hands. "I'll expect a review."

Shinichi tucked the keycard into his pocket, bid the group a good night, and turned his steps towards the ballroom exit. Though his senses remained on full alert all the way, he was still caught by surprise when someone grabbed him from behind, a hand clamping over his mouth to muffle his instinctive yelp.

"Now, now, Tantei-kun, we don't want to make a scene," an all too familiar voice murmured into his ear.

"Mmph?" Shinichi gasped, startled.

His captor chuckled. "I think a change of venue is in order."

That was all the warning Shinichi had before his vision filled with orange smoke that made his entire world go soft and fuzzy around the edges.

His last thought before everything faded was that this sort of thing really should be more surprising.

-0-

When Shinichi woke up, it was to a spacious and elegantly decorated room that he had never seen before but which he guessed was in the same hotel where the Halloween party had been held. The color theme and style matched what he had seen behind the festive decorations in the lobby. His guess was confirmed when the cloaked man sitting at the writing desk with Shinichi's book open in his hands spoke up.

"Suzuki-san sure was generous. She's letting you stay for free overnight in one of their honeymoon suites."

"She's expecting a review," Shinichi mumbled, still a little woozy. Then his brain caught up with his ears. A honeymoon suite? He felt a blush begin to rise in his face, and he hastened to think about something other than the fact that he was alone in a honeymoon suite of all places with Kaito. "What are you doing here? I thought you said you wouldn't be coming."

"I said I couldn't get here in time for the party if I came via ordinary means."

"As in you could make it via more KID-ish means?" Shinichi guessed as he levered himself up and shuffled over to sit on the edge of the king-sized bed. A look at the bedside clock revealed that he hadn't been unconscious for more than ten minutes or so.

"That's right," Kaito agreed in a neutral tone that made Shinichi frown. The magician shut the book he'd been perusing with a snap and set it on the desk. Then he stood up and started to pace. Shinichi quirked an eyebrow at the fedora perched at a jaunty angle on his partner's head and the gleam of a silver sword hilt at his side. It looked like a real sword. Knowing Kaito, it probably was.

"I flew all the way here as fast as the wind could carry me so that I could spend some time with you," Kaito was saying. "And here you are, chatting away without a care in the world with some random guy for ages and ages."

"You could have just come over and said hi," Shinichi pointed out. But Kaito didn't appear to be listening as he motored on.

"And you let him get you a refill just like that. What if he'd put something in the coffee?"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "That's ridiculous. Why would he do that?"

"It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to drug you," the thief pointed out.

"Like you just did?" Shinichi asked dryly.

Kaito stopped in his pacing and turned to face him, arms folded. "Hey, at least you know I wouldn't hurt you. You can't say the same for Mr. Owl Face. You can't deny that more than half the people you meet are either killers or connected to killers in some way. For all you know, this guy could have been some nut planning to kidnap and murder you so he could write about it."

Shinichi laughed. "Now you're just being paranoid."

"Am I?" It was Kaito's turn to use the dry voice. "I know for a fact you've seen cases like that. You told me a few of them yourself."

Shinichi winced. "Well, yeah, but I'm pretty sure Arata-san's not a criminal."

"How can you be sure? You've only known him a few hours. And you never even saw his face."

Shinichi refrained from pointing out that he hadn't seen Kaito's face either until very recently. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I? That means he didn't try to drug or poison me."

"But you gave him your number."

Shinichi paused and rearranged his thoughts. He had assumed that Kaito was being paranoid, but it was starting to sound like the magician might just be jealous. He wasn't sure if he should be flattered or exasperated. He ended up somewhere in between.

"He just asked if I'd like to get together and talk some more sometime since he has some ideas he'd like a real detective's opinion on," he explained patiently. "And I said yes. He's just a new friend, Kai."

"He's interested in you though."

"You're imagining things," Shinichi insisted. "Besides," he added, voice softening. "It wouldn't matter if he was interested." Rising carefully to his sock-clad feet, he padded up to Kaito and leaned up to press a soft kiss to Kaito's lips as his cheeks flushed pink. "I love you."

His efforts were rewarded when Kaito's indigo eyes softened and the tension left his shoulders. Sighing, the magician gathered Shinichi into a warm embrace.

"I love you too," he said quietly. "It's just…hard. I suppose all this waiting is getting to me."

"Me too," Shinichi admitted, closing his eyes as he rested his head against Kaito's shoulder. "But that's all right."

"It is?" Kaito's query puffed soft and warm over the shell of his ear, making Shinichi shiver.

"It is," Shinichi confirmed, snuggling closer to his thief's solid warmth and delighting in the way Kaito held him closer. He always felt safe in Kaito's arms, thief or not. Maybe he shouldn't, but he did. "It would be nice if we didn't have to worry about getting caught, but…I'm happy too. With the way things are. I was thinking about it last night, and it's kind of a miracle that we even made it this far. After everything we've been through, a little waiting is just, well, a little waiting. It's not like it really matters what the rest of the world thinks anyway."

He trailed off, beginning to blush under Kaito's startled stare. "What?"

The magician laughed and kissed him. "I hadn't really thought about it that way, but you're right. And I'm glad you're happy. But I still think you owe me."

Shinichi's brows furrowed. "For what?"

"For ignoring me to talk to Owl Face for so long. I don't like being ignored."

Shinichi snorted. That was an understatement if he'd ever heard one. "Really? I couldn't tell."

He let out a squeak of surprise as he was suddenly spun around and lowered into a dip with Kaito grinning down at him, indigo eyes gleaming in the shadow of his hat.

"Then now that we have an understanding, we have preparations to make."

"Preparations?" Shinichi eyed the magician's grin with great trepidation. "What preparations?"

"For the grand finale," Kaito replied, grin broadening. "We're going to give all your friends downstairs a show they'll never forget."


	5. At the Strike of Midnight

"The least he could do is tell me more about KID-sama," Sonoko grumbled, taking another long swig of her orange smoothie. She and Ran were currently alone as the rest of the group they had been chatting with had all decided to take one last spin across the dance floors with their respective significant others. Sonoko glowered at each dancing pair in turn then heaved a melodramatic sigh. "It's not like it would kill him to be more cooperative."

"Maybe there isn't anything to tell," Ran suggested, but her friend didn't appear to be listening.

"Seriously, KID-sama was supposed to fall in love with me. We would have been perfect together."

"But what about Makoto-kun?"

"I mean, I bet KID-sama wouldn't leave his girlfriend for months on end without visiting just to participate in some world tournament or whatever. He's a real gentleman."

"Who breaks into places and steals things…"

"The least he could do is get me KID's autograph." The petit girl brightened at her own suggestion. "Oh hey, he totally could. And maybe a picture too."

Ran listened with only half an ear to her best friend's ramblings. She was starting to wonder if Sonoko was drunk. That orange smoothie hadn't looked dangerous, but when she'd sniffed it, it had definitely given off a whiff of alcohol.

Maybe it was time to suggest that they go back up to Sonoko's room and start the movie night she had been prattling on about earlier. Ran was about to suggest just that when the ballroom lights suddenly all went out. There was an abrupt outcry of confusion, but it was drowned out an instant later by the sound of a clock striking. It struck twelve times, marking the midnight hour.

Ghostly blue fires raced across the floors, tracing odd, nonsense patterns. Then, in a soft billow of luminous fog, two figures clad in white seemed to rise from the darkness—or perhaps they had materialized out of another realm of existence. One was a man dressed all in white with a billowing, white cape that fluttered as though caught in an unearthly wind and a white top hat circled by a ring of flickering, blue flames where a ribbon would normally be. His partner was a young woman in a matching white dress that fluttered about her like scraps of fog and fire made fabric. She too had a circlet of blue flames perched on her long, dark hair that cast her face in shadows.

The two swept into the middle of the ballroom in a gust of glowing mist and blue fire that washed the room with an icy light and long, wavering shadows.

Utter silence filled the ballroom. Even the band stood frozen, gaping at the ghostly couple in their midst.

The two phantom figures glided across the dance floor under the awed gaze of everyone present in a silent waltz wreathed in ghostly flames and eerie lights. They drifted past frozen dancers and petrified waiters. Their dance spun them all the way around the ballroom before, in a cold gust of wind and a billow of blue-tinted fog, they melted away just as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving the ballroom wrapped in a shell-shocked silence.

Then the ballroom lights flickered back on. With a collective gasp, the occupants of the room shook themselves out of their daze. Then all the remaining dancers were descending on Sonoko, applauding the spectacular show and asking her how it had been done.

"O—oh, uh, well, it—it's a trade secret," the girl stammered, trying to hide her own confusion. She hadn't arranged for any kind of special show.

Could it have been real ghosts? She felt a thrill of excitement at the thought. So, though she knew it had probably been a stunt arranged by the hotel manager or one of the family's many marketing and promotion experts, she decided that she would think about them as real ghosts.

And when Ran leaned over to whisper, "So who were those people?", Sonoko smirked and whispered back, "Didn't I tell you? The estate that was on this plot of land before we bought and renovated it was abandoned for years because the owners' daughter died there on her wedding day with her new husband. It was a freak fire. They must have decided to join our party."

Ran instantly went pale, and Sonoko sniggered.

-0-

"I got the whole thing on video," Kaito declared, grinning broadly as he swept his hat off his head. He spun it on the tip of his finger then made it vanish in a puff of blue flame. The hat was followed by his gloves. "You were wonderful, by the way."

"I can't believe I let you drag me into that," Shinichi grumbled, tugging the wig off his head and placing it on the suite's fancy vanity. "I'm never going to live it down if anyone recognized me."

"Believe me, no one will remember anything but the spectacle," Kaito assured him. "That's the thing about magic. But if you're worried, you can watch the video to check how you looked."

"When did you even have time to set all that up?"

"Well, I had plenty of time to set stuff up while you were talking to Mr. Owl Face," Kaito said dryly, folding his suit jacket over the back of the desk chair.

"Ah, right." Shinichi hastened to change the subject. "Could you help me with these gauzy things? They've gotten a bit tangled."

The thief grinned. "Gladly." Stepping close to Shinichi, he tugged lightly on the gauzy strips draped about the detective that had been responsible for part of the fluttering ghost flames effect. The fabric was extremely light and soft, and it had indeed gotten twisted up about Shinichi's limbs sometime during their dance.

"Hold your arms out and spread your legs a little," Kaito instructed.

Shinichi did as he was told and waited as Kaito carefully unwound the soft, tattered cloth strips from around his person. He shivered as calloused fingers brushed against his neck. The cloth strips unfurled from around his arms and torso and slithered down his legs to pool about his feet in a voluminous, cloud-like mound. The last strip fluttered down onto the heap, leaving Shinichi in the short, lacy white dress that had served as the base of the costume. The sudden chill made him shiver. He lowered his arms and turned—and nearly tripped over the mound of cloth around his feet.

Kaito caught him before he could fall, lifting him free of the entangling cloth. Shinichi wrapped his arms around Kaito's neck on reflex as he kicked off the costume's fancy sandals (if he never saw those sandals again, he would be all the happier for it). A moment later, he was being lowered back onto his bare feet, sliding down Kaito's front. The detective blushed at the sensation but didn't move to pull away. Instead, he stayed where he was, resting against Kaito's chest with the magician's hands on his hips. The thin fabric of his costume was doing nothing to stave off the cold, and Kaito was nice and warm.

The magician hummed contentedly, pulling Shinichi closer and pressing a kiss to the detective's temple. They stayed like that for a while just enjoying the closeness. Shinichi found himself running their little escapade downstairs back through his mind. The awestruck looks on everyone's faces… Even Sonoko had looked gob-smacked. It really had been pretty funny. He supposed he could understand why Kaito found these sorts of performances so entertaining.

At first, Shinichi had been afraid that he'd step on one of the many fluttering, trailing cloth strips of his costume and trip, ruining the whole show, but Kaito had clearly known exactly what he'd been doing. He had guided them through the dance and the ballroom alike with all the skill and grace of a true master showman. All Shinichi had had to do was follow his lead. Once he'd realized that, Shinichi had found himself able to relax and actually enjoy the experience. Although he could have done without the worry that someone might recognize him.

Despite that nagging concern, however, he had to admit that he'd had fun.

"So are you going to help me out of this dress or not?"

"Ooh, someone's feeling bold~."

Shinichi blushed and smacked Kaito lightly on the shoulder. "That's not what I meant!"

"Is that so?" Kaito leaned in, bumping noses with the detective. Shinichi leaned away a little, trying to glare but failing spectacularly when Kaito stole a quick kiss, and Shinichi went cross-eyed trying to watch him. There was no space left between their bodies, and the soft and very thin fabric of what was left of Shinichi's costume wasn't much of a barrier. Shinichi's breaths quickened, and he shivered, though he wasn't at all cold anymore. If anything, he was beginning to feel rather hot. He shifted, pressing himself more firmly against his thief.

Kaito smirked. "I think someone's not being honest~."

"Oh be quiet," Shinichi grumbled, hiding his face in the crook of Kaito's neck. His embarrassment, however, didn't stop him from surreptitiously loosening Kaito's tie and undoing the buttons on his dress shirt.

Chuckling, Kaito stepped back just enough to give himself the room to shrug off his shirt and toss it aside (his tie vanished, but some corner of Shinichi's mind noted that it didn't reappear. Odd). Then he yanked Shinichi back into another heated kiss.

Lips locked and tongues slid and tangled in a growing hunger fueled by the rush of adrenaline still pumping through their veins from their escapade downstairs. Shinichi shivered as the last of his costume slipped from his body, leaving him bare to Kaito's eager hands. He moaned into the kiss, feeling like he was going to melt. He didn't think his legs were going to hold him up much longer, but Kaito solved that problem by scooping him up and dropping him on the bed. He bounced a little on the soft, springy mattress. Feeling only soft sheets against his bare skin and not the fancy stitching of the overly ornate bedcovers, he spared a glance around to find that said bedcovers were neatly folded on the other side of the vast expanse of said bed. When had Kaito found time to do that? The question flitted across Shinichi's mind, but it was chased away before it could take root by the more pressing matter of the man crawling on top of him.

Shinichi gasped and arched up against his thief. Kaito was touching him everywhere, hands gliding across sensitive skin, finding all his most sensitive places and teasing them mercilessly until Shinichi's' head was spinning in a happy haze of pleasure and want.

A hot mouth latched onto a spot at the base of his neck, and Shinichi let out a sigh that bordered on a moan, tilting his head to give Kaito better access. The thief twined their fingers together, pressing their hands down against the mattress to either side of the detective's head as he nipped and licked and sucked, determined to leave his mark. Smirking, he bit down hard, making Shinichi yelp. The magician took advantage of the distraction to tug Shinichi's hands up and pin them above his head. A few deft moves, and he had Shinichi's hands secured to the headboard.

That done, he sat back and grinned down at the detective (who was blinking up at him with the most adorably confused expression), eyeing the prominent hickey he'd left on Shinichi's pale neck with approval. The sight of his mark on Shinichi's skin sent a spike of arousal straight to his cock, and he dove back in to make another.

"K—Kai~!" Shinichi gasped, tugging ineffectually against his bonds (which felt suspiciously like Kaito's tie) as he squirmed against the strong hands now holding his hips down, keeping him still as Kaito left yet another hickey on his neck.

Kaito ran his tongue over the latest mark he'd made before moving up to brush his lips over Shinichi's.

"Hush," he murmured before stealing another, much deeper kiss that left Shinichi dazed and panting for breath.

Kaito shifted lower, determined to leave no spot on his detective's body untouched. Shinichi moaned, delighting in the attention but craving more. Kaito smirked against Shinichi's stomach as he felt the detective writhe against his hold in an attempt to get closer. Drawing back, he drank in the sight of Shinichi splayed out underneath him, cheeks flushed, breathing ragged, and pale skin peppered with love bites—all courtesy of yours truly. Kaito's already hard member throbbed in approval.

He took another moment to just admire his handiwork, chuckling when Shinichi whimpered, before he snagged the tube of lube he'd stashed under the folded bedcovers. Then he spread Shinichi's legs wide.

Shinichi blushed, peering up at Kaito between his spread knees. Maybe it made no sense, considering everything they had done together, but there was still something embarrassing about having Kaito staring at him like that as he lay there very exposed—embarrassing but also rather arousing. He liked being the center of Kaito's attention.

His embarrassment was soon eclipsed by the feel of a hot mouth wrapped around his length, licking and sucking as long fingers pressed into him, thrusting deeper and deeper with each push and pull, prying apart his sensitive walls. Preparing him for his magician's cock. The thought sent a shudder of excitement up his spine as a fresh blush rose in his cheeks, and his muscles clenched involuntarily around Kaito's fingers.

"So eager," Kaito chuckled as he shifted to suck on a spot on Shinichi's inner thigh, teasing. Just before he presses his fingers hard against that spot he knew would make Shinichi scream. His detective let out a sharp cry as his body jerked and arched in helpless pleasure. And Kaito presses forward eagerly as Shinichi opens up beneath him with desperate little mewling pleas that the thief simply cannot resist.

Removing his fingers, Kaito shifted to press the tip of his aching arousal against Shinichi's twitching hole.

Shinichi gasped as Kaito's large cock pressed into him, filling him. Kaito stilled once he was fully sheathed inside his lover, relishing the way his detective's inner muscles clenched deliciously tight around Kaito's pulsing cock as though trying to keep him inside. The breathless moan of pleasure that escaped Shinichi's lips as he adjusted to the intrusion tickled Kaito's eardrums, sweet and enticing. His Shin-chan was perfect.

Pulling out almost all the way, Kaito thrust back into his beloved again, slow and deep. Shinichi's hips bucked in an attempt to meet his thrusts, but Kaito's grip on his hips tightened, holding him still as the thief kept firm control over their pace.

"Kaito," Shinichi whimpered, half in protest at the excruciatingly slow pace and half in pleasure as Kaito's cock ground hard against his sweet spot. He tossed his head back, spasming around the hard length buried inside him.

"Now, now," Kaito purred, unable to suppress a self-satisfied grin. "Patience, Love. We have all night to play. No need to rush."

Kaito's words were accompanied by another slow, deep thrust that had Shinichi mewling. The thief's grin grew, becoming something rather more wicked. He was in the mood to savor. And, well, frankly he enjoyed making his detective squirm and beg for more. Right now, he knew that Shinichi was focused entirely on him and only him.

Shinichi moaned as Kaito thrust into him again. Sparks of pleasure danced up and down his nerves every time Kaito moved, but he wanted more. He wiggled his hips in an attempt to get Kaito to hurry up. He let out a frustrated whine when all that got him was a low chuckle. The stupid thief was obviously enjoying tormenting him like this (not that Shinichi wasn't enjoying it too, but Shinichi didn't know how much more of this teasing he could take—not that he had much choice. He felt like he was slowly going crazy with need—the need to be ravished, to feel Kaito pounding into him, claiming him, filling him with his thief's hot essence).

"Kai, please," he gasped, hands twisting helplessly against Kaito's expertly knotted tie as he all but writhed. Fever bright blue eyes locked with Kaito's. "Kaito."

That desperate little whimper was too much for even the Kaitou KID's iron self control. With a growl, he surged forward, fingers digging into Shinichi's hips. Kaito's next thrust plowed into the detective hard and fast.

The cry of pleasure that tore itself from Shinichi's lips went straight to Kaito's cock. In a blink, he went from slow and steady to fast and rough, each deep thrust sending waves of pleasure through his lover that had Shinichi arching off the bed as he screamed Kaito's name. His cries only served to encourage his thief (not that Shinichi was complaining).

By now, neither of them was thinking about anything beyond the immediate moment, lost in the heated rhythm and the pure ecstasy of their dance.

Unable to withstand the onslaught of stimulation any longer, Shinichi came first. Making a noise that was somewhere between a groan and a growl as he felt Shinichi's already deliciously tight heat clamp down around his cock like a velvet vice, Kaito managed a few last thrusts before releasing himself deep inside his beloved. Shinichi shuddered and squirmed in pleasure at the sensation of being so utterly full of Kaito. The thought made him blush in mild embarrassment, but it didn't stop him from letting out a whine of protest when his thief pulled gently out of him.

Smiling softly, Kaito reached up to untie Shinichi's hands then gathered the detective against his chest. "I was wondering if you wanted to try out the Jacuzzi."

The idea was definitely attractive, but Shinichi knew he wouldn't be able to walk any time soon. And it would be too embarrassing to have to ask Kaito to carry him. The bathroom wasn't really that far away though. A few more minutes of cuddling, and maybe he'd be able to make his own way there without totally embarrassing himself. Shinichi was still contemplating this course of action when Kaito hopped out of bed and scooped him up into a bridal carry without a by your leave.

"Hey!" he protested, but Kaito just pivoted and strode towards the suite's enormous bathroom.

"You were taking too long to decide," he said. "You're kind of obligated to try it out any way."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Didn't you promise Suzuki-san a review? You can't do that if you don't try out the amenities."

"Oh." Shinichi blinked. "I guess you have a point."

Kaito laughed. "Of course. I always do."

-0-

Shinichi woke the following morning feeling warm, happy, and much more well-rested than he had been in a long time.

He was also a little sore, but he didn't mind. If anything, it just made him want to blush.

Kaito had made coffee, so the two of them enjoyed a cup each before reluctantly parting ways. Kaito headed for the roof while Shinichi headed down to the breakfast buffet where he was supposed to be meeting up with Ran, her father, and Sonoko. The girls were already there when he arrived, but Kogoro was nowhere to be seen.

"Dad's still asleep. He drank a little too much last night," Ran explained, looking embarrassed on her father's behalf. "I'll bring some coffee up for him after we eat."

"Oh," Shinichi said because there really was nothing else polite to say to that. Not, granted, that Mouri Kogoro's behavior was anything new or unexpected.

Shinichi got himself a coffee and a piece of buttered toast only to be sent right back to the long buffet counters by a combination of Ran's disapproving looks and Sonoko's demand that he try more items so that he could tell people how good they were when he wrote his review. He thought about pointing out that she was assuming he would think the food was all good, but he knew better. Fortunately for him (for a variety of reasons, only the second of which was that he had to eat it), the food really was quite delicious. That didn't stop him from feeling overstuffed after being ordered to eat a bite of everything.

"Did you try all six flavors of syrup?" Sonoko asked. "I was thinking about swapping the maple or the blueberry for something more exotic."

"I think you should keep them," Shinichi said hastily, hoping the girl didn't notice that he hadn't actually answered her initial question. "Exotic flavors might be fun for some people, but the classics are classic for a reason."

"I guess that's true," Sonoko conceded.

"So I heard some people outside saying they saw ghosts last night," Shinichi said quickly before Sonoko could demand that he try another dish. "Do either of you have any idea what they were talking about?"

Sonoko grinned. "Oh yeah, you left early so you didn't see them!"

"Them?" Shinichi echoed, pretending to be clueless.

"The ghosts," Sonoko replied. "They showed up around midnight for a spin around the dance floor. I guess my parties are just that good. It was amazing! You really missed out. There was all this mystical blue fire. I wish I'd thought to tape it, but it was all just so sudden."

"How much did you have to drink last night?"

Sonoko scowled. "I wasn't drunk. Ran saw the whole thing too. And so did everyone else there."

Shinichi turned to Ran, who shivered.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said. "It was really creepy."

"No it wasn't," Sonoko countered before letting out a dreamy sigh. "It was romantic."

"How can ghosts be romantic?" Shinichi asked, honestly confused now. Then again, the way Sonoko's mind worked never failed to confuse him.

The petit girl sniffed. "Someone like you wouldn't understand. You wouldn't recognize romance if it bit you."

Shinichi rolled his eyes and turned back to Ran. "Was anyone hurt?"

She shook her head. "No. Or at least no one's said anything."

"Well that's good at least.

They spent the rest of the morning discussing the 'ghosts'. Shinichi theorized about how the illusion might have been pulled off (much to Sonoko's annoyance). Since Kaito, with all his magician's secrecy, hadn't actually shared any of the details, Shinichi could theorize to his heart's content. And he was actually quite enjoying himself as he questioned Ran on the details and proposed a variety of explanations. His suggestions were clearly chasing away some of Ran's fears even With Sonoko slipping in snide comments and proposing theories of her own for why the ghosts had to have been real.

It wasn't until they rose to head up to Kogoro's room that Shinichi realized how normal the whole morning had felt. And he admitted to himself that Ran was right about making peace with Sonoko. While they clashed on multiple levels, and they would likely never understand one another, she was still a friend whose presence in his life he had missed.

People really were strange creatures at times, he reflected.

For some reason, the thought made him smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may add one more chapter to this set.


	6. Ripple

By Monday, it seemed that half the population of their university had heard of the ghosts who had graced Suzuki Sonoko's Halloween party with their eerie presence. The girl herself was fanning the flames, sharing increasingly elaborate tales of that already dramatic night and the tragedy supposedly responsible for the ghosts. By noon, there were six different renditions of the story floating around campus and a lot of regret from everyone who either hadn't attended the party or had left early.

"The university party was fun too, but it sounds like it wasn't anything nearly that cool," more than one of Shinichi's classmates had lamented before asking him to tell his side of the story only to be disappointed when he told them that he'd left the party before the ghosts showed up.

What did people find so fascinating about ghosts anyway? It wasn't even as though most of these people really believed that there had been ghosts—or at least Shinichi was pretty sure they didn't. Yet they seemed to delight in the pretense that all the stories were or could be true. But maybe it was that whole thing about wanting to believe in something out of the ordinary again. Although that argument didn't strike Shinichi as convincing either. It wasn't like with a magician's magic where the thing out of the ordinary was some spectacular feat of supernatural abilities. Ghosts were supposed to be unhappy spirits. So even if you did believe deep down that they existed, shouldn't you prefer that a sighting of one be false? It was rather macabre to hope to see the embodiment of someone's regrets.

Or maybe he was just over thinking things again. It was just hard not to think about it when everyone around him was gossiping about the aforementioned ghosts with such rampant enthusiasm.

Fortunately, in Shinichi's opinion if no one else's, there had been no clear videos taken. There had actually been at least two guests who had attempted to film it, but they had started too late into the performance to catch much, and the lighting and flickering blue flames had distorted things, so all they had managed to film were shaky blurs and flashes of blue light.

Instead, one of the students in the fine art department had painted a life-sized rendering of a moment from that spectral dance. She had started painting it the instant she got home from the party that night and only just finished it that morning. The enormous canvas was now on display in one of the art department's many workshop rooms. There was already a long line forming of students who wanted to get a good look at it.

Ran had been dragged to see it by an excited Sonoko, and she in turn had commandeered Shinichi because she didn't really want to go see a painting of the 'ghosts' without some moral support.

Shinichi had to admit, the painting was incredible. It had captured not only their likeness and the eerie magic of the performance but that sense of motion from their dance as well. Looking at it had made him feel a strange mixture of nostalgia and embarrassed wonder. Maybe it was only because he knew exactly who the two purported phantoms were, but he thought he could make out hints of both their features in the painting, and that was more than a little worrying.

Still, it was undeniably a beautiful painting.

Though more amazing than the artwork was the speed with which it had been created. How had the artist gotten the paint to dry that fast?

"Oh hey, it says here that she's selling prints," Sonoko observed, reading the paper tacked up next to the painting. "I think I'll order one."

Shinichi had to fight to keep his expression neutral. There was just something about the idea of Sonoko buying a picture of him and Kaito that was rather… He wasn't even sure what the right words would be. Ironic? Horrifying? Mortifying? Or maybe just funny.

He silently vowed that she would never, ever find out that he had been anywhere near the ballroom that night.

Later, sitting alone in one of the campus cafes with a textbook and a mug of coffee on the table before him, Shinichi looked at the picture he'd taken of the artist's web info and wondered why he'd taken it. Shaking his head, he set his phone aside and returned to his reading.

Ran and Sonoko had left him to his own devices right after lunch. Sonoko had a lecture to get to, and Ran, who had joined the university karate team, had gone to practice. Shinichi had no more classes for the rest of the day, and the police hadn't called him, so he was rewarding himself with a relaxing afternoon of coffee and reading. Once he was done with the chapters he needed to go over for class, he could move on to the two novels in his bag.

He was two chapters into his first novel when someone approached his table.

"Hey there. Mind if I join you?"

Startled, he looked up and blinked. The young man standing by his table was a classmate of his that he had worked with on a report just last week. But the eyes looking out of that face were definitely not the eyes of said classmate.

"Kai?"

The magician raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, but he winked. "So? Can I sit?"

Shinichi hid a smile in his mug. "Go ahead."

Kaito flopped into the seat opposite him right away and waved at a passing waitress. He ordered a roast beef sandwich that came with an apple, a coffee, a chocolate chip cookie, and a slice of chocolate cake.

"I missed lunch," he said by way of explanation when the waiter left.

"Did something happen?" Shinichi asked, concerned.

The magician just laughed. "Nah, nothing like that. I was just finishing up some lab work for my chemistry class. I have some errands to run later, so I wanted to get the lab work out of the way. Running back and forth would waste too much time."

Shinichi shook his head in bemused wonder. "With everything you do, when do you ever find time to sleep?"

Kaito laughed. "Let's just say I have excellent time management skills and a knack for multitasking. Though I'll admit it helps that I never needed much sleep."

"I'll say."

The water arrived with Kaito's food. The magician took an enormous bite out of his sandwich and made a noise of approval. Half the sandwich was gone practically before Shinichi had even had time to register that the thief was eating. He couldn't help but stare. Was Kaito even chewing?

"You shouldn't eat so fast. You'll choke."

His warning fell uselessly onto Kaito's empty plate.

The magician took a long swig of his own coffee then grinned at Shinichi's flabbergasted look. "You were saying?"

The detective could only shake his head. "Never mind."

Both the apple and the cookie vanished nearly as fast as the sandwich. It wasn't until he started into his cake that Kaito slowed, savoring each bite with an expression of bliss that made Shinichi wonder if he should be trying a slice of that cake too. He'd never tried any of the bakery's dessert items, but clearly their chocolate cake at least was a winner.

They spent a pleasant half hour just being normal university students, having a late working lunch over homework as they chatted about the little things and their upcoming plans as the holiday season was about to begin.

But alas, all things must come to an end, and it was time for Kaito to take his leave.

"Will you be heading home after your errands?" Shinichi asked, meaning his own home. It was a subtle invitation that Kaito didn't miss. The soft smile he gave Shinichi made the detective feel warm and almost giddy in a way he would have found embarrassing if he wasn't so busy feeling happy.

"I would if I could, but I'll be running late today. I still have a lot of shopping to get done. I only hit half my usual hotspots yesterday, so I gotta hustle or all the best bargains are going to be gone."

"I…have no idea what you're talking about."

Laughing, Kaito rose, stretched, then reached over and ruffled Shinichi's hair in a way that the student he was masquerading as never would have. "You'd know if you just took a moment to think about it. I mean, an artist's tools don't grow on trees, you know. Well, most of the time anyway. Oh, and by the way," he added as an afterthought. "I saw an incredible painting earlier today. I bought a print. It'll go nicely with my trophies from the other night."

Shinichi made a face at that, not at all surprised. "Sonoko's buying one too."

"She does have good taste in some things."

"Is that your round about way of praising yourself?"

Kaito laughed. "I'll let you decide that one for yourself. Anyway, much as I'd like to stay, I really do have to get going."

They bid each other farewell, and Shinichi watched the magician go before ordering another coffee.

A mere fifteen minutes after Kaito's departure, one of the café's other patrons let out a gasping, choking sound and toppled to the ground. Shinichi was out of his seat and kneeling next to the body in an instant, both his book and his latest cup of coffee sitting forgotten at his table. It was time to get back to work.

-0-

In another part of the city, Kaito, now back behind his own face, exited yet another shopping center with a satisfied grin. There was no time quite like the sales right after Halloween for a prankster to stock up on supplies. Of course, he would be breaking a lot of the stuff he'd bought down for parts and raw materials, but he was still saving himself a lot of trouble. And every now and then he'd run across a costume or prop that was actually high quality or exceptionally well-designed for a bargain price. Those were the best.

It was all rather a lot like treasure hunting, he mused. It was time-consuming, but the gems in the rubble made it all worthwhile.

He'd been quite lucky this year and found more than a handful of said gems amidst the heaps upon heaps of discounted decorations and costumes (including an ensemble or two that he just knew would fit his little detective perfectly). He had just one store left to hit.

It was one of his favorites, and it sold costumes and decorations all year round. Situated next to a performance hall, the shop was enormous and had been supplying Kaito with props and inspiration ever since he'd first walked through its doors while he was still in high school.

"Oh hey there, Kuroba-san," the girl working the counter said when she spotted him. "Browsing for costumes for your drama club again? Or is it for your shows this time?"

"A little bit of both," he replied.

"There are some pretty cool pieces in the sales section I think you might want to take a look at."

"Got it. I have some things to trade in too. I was thinking I'd bring them by tomorrow morning before opening hours, if the boss is available."

"Of course. I'll let Sis know you're coming. Be prepared though. She was at your last show with her fiancé, and she's still not done gushing about it."

"I am truly honored. I know how hard the boss is to impress."

The girl snorted. "Most of the time. But you know she loves everything you do. Oh yeah, by the way, some friends of mine are also huge fans. They didn't believe me when I said I'd known you since before you got famous. I was wondering if you'd let me take a picture with you so I can prove it."

Kaito laughed. "No problem. I know how important it is to have hard evidence."

"Then how about an autograph too?"

"Trade you for that hat with the feather in it over there?"

"Deal."


End file.
